The Portland daily press., 1887-08-06
FOUR MILES FROM SHORE.
The Captains OF the Gloucester
Schooners Tell Their Story.
Admiral Luce's Latest Advice &C
American Fishermen.
schooner J. n. Perkins Seized at
Souris.
Especial to the Press.l

| HALIFAX, n. S., Aug. 5.-Rear-Admiral
Luce has today issued comprehensive cir
cular for the guidance of American fisher
men who frequent the northern Jwaters. He
states, in simple language, the terms of the
treaty of 1918, and guided by. the grounds on
which the seizures have recently been made,
strongly recommends masters to report to
the custom house or cruiser officer immedi-
| ately on arrival in port, not to allow any of
the crews to traffic with the people on shore,
and If seized to make no statement to any
person but consular agent, and that should
be done as soon as the vessel is taken. 1t is
bad policy to allow the sails to hang over the
taffrail, as 1t looks as if the name or place of
hail was being purposely concealed. He
summarizes the decision of Chief Justice
Young in the 81. FL. Nickerson" case as fol-
lows: Canadian courts have already de-
cided that the presence of an American fish
erman inside the three-mile limit and not be-
ing on his way to obtain necessary wood,
water, repairs or shelter, is prima facie evil
dence OF his intention to violate treaty obli-
cations by fishing" Seines and boats, he
says, that are carried within the prohibited
limit by the tide are liable to seizure He
urges the American fishermen TO retain the
sympathy OF the American government and
American nation by obeying the Canadian
laws in the minutest details.
AT Souris, today, Collector Foley seized
the fishing schooner j. III. Perkins, Capt.
Mcdonald, of North Haven, for violating
the customs laws by shipping men in Cana
Donald had arranged to have the men row
outside the three-mile limit in dories, but
the Perkins was only two miles out when
she took four of the men on board, at 10
o'clock on the night of the 29th ult. 1t is al
so alleged that she smuggled two men on
board while lying in Souris harbor, on We'd
nesday night. The information was given
by two of the Perkins's crew. The vessel
will doubtless be mulcted in $500 fines for
the two offences.
Minister of Fisheries Foster arrived here
tonight, and will leave tomorrow for st.
John.
The Captains Story.
GLOUCESTER, Aug. 5-The schooners Ar
gonaut and French, of which the boats and
seines were seized by the Canadians, arrived
here today. Captains Harris and Sprague
say that after their boats were seized they
left for home, coming out through the Gulf
of st. Lawrence, keeping 80 miles off shore
and sailing around Cape Breton. A dense
log prevailed all the time, so that the cruiser
could not see them. The Argonaut had only
Tour men on board, but dared not put in to
ship more. The captains and crews say that
wnen the seines were set they were four
miles from. shore, but a strong current set
ting towards shore carried them in. When
the boats were seized they were outside of
the limit. They will reit and fish on this
shore. No fish were brought by either ves-
sci, The schooner Willie M: Stevens, from
the Grand Banks, reports July oath that
the crew.. got astray while attending to
travis and have not been heard from.
The Ottawa Budget.
OTTAWA, Aug. 4.-Advices received from
Souris, Prince Edward Island, today, by the
Dominion Minister of Marine and Fisheries,
state that large fleet of American seiners
were off Eastport. An American man-of-
war was also at anchor three or four miles
from shore. whose commander boarded a
number Of American vessels and gave the
captains wholesome advice. He counseled |
them that whenever they had occasion to |
call at Canadian ports they should allow |
none of the crew to land before entering at |
the custom house, and to comply with the |
Canadian laws while in port in every partic- |
ular. He also cautioned them against either |
fishing or pretending to fish within the three |
mile limit, az ,; SAID he: II catch you fishing
be not there to seize you l shall seize you |
myself" He said further, that in the event |
of dispute arising as to the distance from |
shore between cruiser and any of their |
vessels taken in the act of seining, the latter |
should remain just where they were seining |
until the distance was ascertained by actual |
measurement.
The Deputy Minister of fisheries states |
that Canadian cruisers are looking after |
American fishermen in good shape There |
are now. seven Of them, including the steam |
er Acadian, on the mackerel grounds The |
presence of mackerel in such large numbers |
in-sh0re, has made the Yankee shippers |
very daring, but with so many cruisers on |
the lookout opportunities for them to steal |
any considerable amount of Canadian fish |
are not many.
Capt. Lorway, of the steamer Triumph, |
writes that for weeks at time he has been |
unable to take off his clothing while resting,
so closely has he to follow every move of the |
Americans, who lose no opportunity to buy |
provisions or steal bait. He also reports |
mackerel solid from Port Hood, Cape Breton, |
to Eastport, Me-